Impact of Socioeconomic Status Expectation on the Academic Achievement among Rural Students

DAI Yuwan, HOU Yubo†

School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871; † Corresponding author, E-mail: houyubo@pku.edu.cn

Abstract Using the Wisconsin model of status attainment as a theoretical basis, the effect of students’ and parents’ expectations of socioeconomic status on student academic achievement was explored through a paired survey of high school students from rural areas and their parents. The result showed that expected future SES was a significant and positive predictor of students’ academic achievement, but there was no correlation between current SES and academic achievement. These findings suggest that it is not the current status of family class that affects rural students’ academic achievement, but rather students’ expectations of the future class they will be in. Therefore, stimulating rural students’ positive expectations about their future is an effective path to improve their academic achievement and ultimately break the class rigidity. Key words rural student; socioeconomic status; socioeconomic status expectation; academic achievement